The 7S model is a strategic model that can be used for any of the following purposes:

Organizational alignment or performance improvement

Understanding the core and most influential factors in an organizations strategy

Determining how best to realign an organization to a new strategy or other organization

design

Examining the current workings and relations an organization exhibits

The model, made famous by the McKinsey consulting company, is good for a thorough
discussion around an organizations activities, infrastructure, and interactions.

-The model and its usage-

Here is the 7S model that portrays seven elements of an organization.

I define the elements as follows:

Strategy This is the organizations alignment of resources and capabilities to win in its
market.

Structure This describes how the organization is organized. This includes roles,
responsibilities and accountability relationships.

Systems This is the business and technical infrastructure that employees use on a day to day
basis to accomplish their aims and goals.

Shared Values This is a set of traits, behaviors, and characteristics that the organization
believes in. This would include the organizations mission and vision.

Style This is the behavioral elements the organizational leadership uses and culture of
interaction.

Staf This is the employee base, staffing plans and talent management.
Skills This is the ability to do the organizations work. It reflects in the performance of the
organization.

To assess each of these elements, here are some questions to ask:

Strategy

What is the organizations strategy seeking to accomplish?

How does the organization plan to use its resources and capabilities to deliver that?

What is distinct about this organization?

How does the organization compete?

How does the organization adapt to changing market conditions?

Structure

How is the organization organized?

What are the reporting and working relationships (hierarchical, flat, silos, etc.)?

How do the employees align themselves to the strategy?

How are decisions made? Is it based off of centralization, empowerment, decentralization

or other approaches?

How is information shared (formal and informal channels) across the organization?

Systems

What are the primary business and technical systems that drive the organization?

What and where are the system controls?

 How is progress and evolution tracked?

What internal rules and processes does the team utilize to maintain course?

Shared Values

What is the mission of the organization?

What is the vision to get there? If so, what is it?

What are the ideal versus real values?

How do the values play out in daily life?

What are the founding values that the organization was built upon?

Style

What is the management/leadership style like? How do they behave?

How do employees respond to management/leadership?

Do employees function competitively, collaboratively, or cooperatively?

Are there real teams functioning within the organization or are they just nominal groups?

What behaviors, tasks and deliverables does management/leadership reward?

Staf

What is the size of the organization?

What are the staffing needs?

Are there gaps in required capabilities or resources?

What is the plan to address those needs?

Skills
 What skills are used to deliver the core products and/or services? Are these skills
sufficiently present and available?

Are there any skill gaps?

What is the organization known for doing well?

Do the employees have the right capabilities to do their jobs?

How are skills monitored, assessed, and improved?

Once the questions are answered, the data should be examined. The analysis should look for
the following aspects:

Consistency

Alignment

Conflicts

Gaps

Support

Strengths

Weaknesses

The uses of the model can be as a static picture to determine how effectively the organization is
implementing its strategy. Also, it can be used two-fold with a current state and an intended
future state. By comparing the current and future states, gaps can be assessed, which lead to
improvement and action plans. That latter case makes enables the model to be used for large
scale change.

-Summary-
Like any model, there are good fits and poor fits. This is a handy model for taking a snapshot
and comparing that to the desired state or improvement. It visually shows how everything is
linked and understanding the larger implications of change can be very revealing. It is much like
how a general doctor can help diagnose a patients situation, but the fine-tuned skill of a surgeon
can be used to make the specific, desired changed.

Update: